Rand Paul recoils at Trump’s Gaza takeover plans: ‘I thought we voted for America First’
After President Donald Trump announced that America “will take over the Gaza strip,” there has been a strong pushback from Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., who believes that this move would betray the “America First” principle that Trump voters expected.
During his inauguration speech last month, Trump reiterated his commitment to putting America first, a core pillar of his political philosophy. However, Sen. Paul is raising concerns about Trump’s plans for Gaza, arguing that the pursuit for peace in the region should be led by Israelis and Palestinians themselves.
“The pursuit for peace should be that of the Israelis and the Palestinians. I thought we voted for America First. We have no business contemplating yet another occupation to doom our treasure and spill our soldiers’ blood,” Paul stated in a post on Wednesday.
The senator’s comments came in response to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s declaration that “Gaza MUST BE FREE from Hamas” and the United States stands ready to lead efforts to “Make Gaza Beautiful Again” and achieve lasting peace in the region.
Trump’s proposal to “take over” the embattled Gaza Strip and transform it into an economic hub has sparked controversy. During a joint appearance with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump suggested resettling Palestinians outside Gaza and undertaking a massive reconstruction effort in the region.
“The U.S. will take over the Gaza Strip, we’ll own it, and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site … level it out, create an economic development that will supply unlimited numbers of jobs and housing for the people of the area,” Trump announced.
Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., condemned Trump’s plan as “ethnic cleansing,” accusing him of supporting genocide and ethnic cleansing while cutting off federal funds to working Americans. She called on her colleagues to speak out against the proposal.
On the other hand, Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn., praised Trump’s initiative, describing it as a fulfillment of his promise to bring peace to Gaza. She emphasized that Trump’s actions demonstrate true leadership and a commitment to keeping his campaign promises.
As the debate over Trump’s Gaza plans continues, it is clear that the issue remains highly contentious and divisive. The future of the region hangs in the balance as different political figures express contrasting views on how to address the longstanding conflict.
